Mode of constructing roll-top desks.



No. 551,554. I Patented lune s2, |900. H. F. Nocoss.

MODE 0F CUNSTRUCTING ROLL TOP DESKS.

[Application led Dec. 14, 1899.)

(N0 Model.)

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

HENRY FANNING NORCROSS, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

MODE OF CONSTRUCTING ROLL-TOP DESKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,554, dated June 12, 1900.

Application iiled December 14,1899. Serial No. 740,373. `(No model.)

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, HENRY FANNING NoR- OROSS, a citizen of the United States,-residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new and useful Mode of Constructing` Roll- Top Desks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to roll-top desks, and has for its object to so improve the construction thereof as to permit the roll-top to be used as a standing-desk, so calledY-that is, a desk whose table or rest will support books or papers ata convenient height for examination or writing by a'person standing at the desk.

With these ends in view I have devised the novel improvement in 'rolltop desks which I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and using reference characters to designate the several parts.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a desk embodying my novel improvement, the roll-top being in the closed position and broken away at the right to show the support in the folded position; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the -desk looking toward the left in Fig. 1, the roll-top being shown in dotted lines in the closed position with the folded support in dotted lines and both the roll-top and support being shown in full lines in position for use as a standing-desk.

The special construction of the desk is of course not of the essence of my invention.

A denotes a roll-top of any ordinary or preferred construction, and B side pieces having grooves 10, in which the roll-top is adapted to slide. A novel feature of my invention consists in providing slots 11 in the inner faces of the side pieces, which lead from the outer edges ofthe side pieces into the grooves, preferably at or near the highest portion of said grooves, as is clearly shown in the drawings. These slots are so located as not to interfere with the running down of the roll-top in the usual manner, but at the same time will permit the roll-top to be readily run out of the slots when it is so desired by the operator.

In order that the roll-top may be utilized as the table or rest of a standing-desk, I provide suitable supports C therefor. It will of course be obvious that my invention is not limited to any special form of supports, as they would necessarily vary in dierent styles of desks, the special purpose being to provide supports that will support the roll-top Iirmly when it is desired to use the latter as a standing-desk and which when not in use will fold into small compass and slide or swing out of the Way, so as not to interfere to the slightest extent with any ot' the ordinary uses of the desk. In the present instance I have shown the supports as pivoted to the side pieces, as at 12, andas jointed, as at 13, so as to permit the supports to fold on themselves and lie out of the way close against the inner faces of the side pieces when not in use. In order to enable the user of the roll-top as astandingdesk to place the table or restthat is, the roll-top of the desk when run out of the grooves-at different heights and inc1inations,I provide stops for the ends of the supports, so that by shifting the lower ends of the supports from one pair of stops to another the table or rest of the standing-desk may be raised or lowered by increasing orv decreasing the angle of inclination to the horizontal plane of the desk. These' stops may, of course, be either blocks or depressions, asy preferred. I have shown arplate 14. as recessed into the table proper of the desk, there being of course one at each end of the desk, said plates being provided with openings or sockets 15, either of which is adapted to be engaged by the end of the support and to hold the latter and the roll-top when used as a standing-desk firmly in place, it being of course understood that the openings 15 in the respective plates are in line with each other, so that each end of the roll-top will receive firm support when run out of the grooves. v l

Having thus described my invention, I claim;

1. In a desk the combination with a rolltop, of side pieces having grooves in which the roll-top may slide and slotsleading from the outer edges into the grooves through which the roll-top may pass and supports for the roll-top when run out of the grooves so that said roll-top may serve as a standingdesk.

2. In a desk the combination with a roll- ICO into said grooves, jointed supports upon which the roll-top may rest when run out through the slots and stopsl for the supports whereby the roll-top may be adjusted to dfferent heights when used as a standing-desk.

Dated at Bridgeport, Connecticut, December l1, 1899.

HENRY FANNING N ORCRVOSS.

Titnesses DAvID PELL SECOR, IRvINe F. LEWIS.

top, of side pieces having grooves in which the rol1top may slide and slots leading from the outer edges into the grooves near the highest portion thereof and jointed supports pivoted to the side pieces which are adapted to be moved out of the Way when the roll-top is `opened or closed in the ordinary manner and to support the roll-top as a standing-desk when the roll-top is run out through the slots.

3. In a desk the combination with a rolltop, of side pieces having grooves for the ro11- l top and slots leading from the outer edges 

